Fabian Washington has the fab first name, top-draft-pick status and a diamond earring for each lobe.

Now, the Raiders' cornerback has a little swagger to round out his wardrobe, thanks to a cutting interception Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles that he would not have attempted as a rookie last year.

"That was something that I definitely wasn't doing last year," Washington said after practice Tuesday in Napa. Drafted with the 23rd pick by the Raiders in 2005, he had no interceptions as a rookie.

"Last year, I would have just broke that pass up. If you look at Deion [Sanders], Champ [Bailey], Charles [Woodson], they take their shots. If they get beat, they get beat, but you have to take your shots."

Washington returned the Jeff Garcia-granted interception 40 yards. The catch-and-run gives him first dibs on being viewed as the secondary's top cover man, even if Raiders coach Art Shell won't commit to a starting lineup just yet.

"I think that bodes well for his confidence," Shell said. "He knows now that he can do that, he can go pick a pass off and he can turn returns for big yardage."

Shell expected as much from Washington, which is why Washington has worked with the first-team defense all training camp.

Not even the healthy returns of cornerbacks Tyrone Poole (hamstring) and Duane Starks (back) Tuesday did anything to shake that.

Poole and Starks were signed as free agents to shore up the secondary. With Washington less afraid to take what he calls "educated guesses" when the pass is in the air, he has less reason to worry about losing his first-string status.

"(Corners) are out there on an island so they have to be daring," Shell said. "They can't be afraid. We always said a scared man can't win. So yeah, he can gamble as long as he's right."

Porter back: Wide receiver Jerry Porter (calf) returned to practice, pulling in one catch in his first full-pads workout in more than a week.

He worked with the second-team offense and made his catch in coverage.

"Sure, it's good to see him out here," Shell said. "If we can get anybody out here working, that makes our team better when we don't have to tax any one position."

Out of gas: The Raiders ran full-field "gassers" for the first time in training camp, with players running the 100-yard length of the field six times at the end of the afternoon practice.

Shell wanted to work on conditioning because the players had Monday off. With some players gasping and doubled over after two sprints, one assistant yelled, "Get the defibrillators!"

Players ran with their position unit, with the groups sent in waves. Offensive line coach Jackie Slater, a Hall of Famer, joined his players on every run and nearly beat a few to the finish line.

"I saw that," Shell said. "I said we've got to pull him out of retirement."

Briefly: The Raiders return to two-a-day practices today and Thursday. ... Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha made the play of the day, jumping in front of Doug Gabriel to steal a pass from Marques Tuiasosopo. ... Wide receiver Kevin McMahan, who got stitches in his tongue after a violent hit in Sunday's game, missed practice.